Hogarden
by Pom-Juice
Summary: Learn how to use actual weapons! Has Dumbledore gone mad? Join Harry and co. in their adventure to unwravel both mysteries of the past and present. rr


  
  
Title: Hogarden  
  
Prologue  
  
Authors: Bre and EC-Chan  
  
Disclaimer: Own Harry Potter we do not. Did if we, very messed up this world would be.  
  
A woman in about her mid-thirties peered anxiously out her front window, wrapping her shawl tighter around her face. Casting one last furtive glance over her shoulder in the direction of five sleeping children hopefully snugly secure in their beds, she hurried out the door into the crisp afternoon air.  
As she swiftly walked a few yards away from the small homely cottage she had just exited before coming to an abrupt halt, she begged Merlin that none of those five children decided to wake up during their nap time and go looking for her. As she stood there, obviously waiting for someone, she looked around anxiously, yet again. A few seconds later the tall figure of a man appeared from the near darkness the surrounding forest offered even in the middle of the day. He too, looked around carefully before making a beeline for the woman bundled in her shawl.  
The woman watched the man approach her, looking immensely relieved at the sight of him. "Have you seen any more activity from the remaining he- who-must-not-be-named supporters?"  
"Ah Matron, I should have known; always business first," the old man said with an affectionate smile.  
"I asked you not to call me that Albus," she said with a frown. "And I wouldn't have to ask you these questions but you know these children take up most of my time."  
Dumbledore ignored her comment, "I would have chosen to tell you later, but yes."  
The elderly woman sighed sadly. She had so hoped that Albus would have come with the news that the remaining Deatheaters had been rounded up and sent to Azkaban or at the very least that there would be no new news (no news was good news, or so the saying went after all....). This was akin to one of her darkest fears, however, that the situation had somehow worsened since Albus had last left.  
It never once crossed her mind that Dumbledore could possibly be lying to her. He had no reason to after all. She was his wife, and she trusted him more then anyone else. If he said there was activity then she could only hope for the best.  
"While most of the Deatheaters are silent now that their leader has fallen, a select few know where our little Harry is." He continued. "In fact, although I wish we had prevented it, the father of one of your charges is part of this group." Matron's husband paused, as if uncertain whether he should say what he was thinking. "If nothing changes, I fear we will have to close this daycare down soon."  
"But the children...." Matron said, aghast. "What will happen to Harry?"  
"He'll go back to his aunt and uncle," Dumbledore said quietly. "I know you don't like the idea, but it is the safest place for him....I could offer him no better protection, especially now. I fear that the situation will only escalate given time...."  
  
Inside, a small messy haired boy stood, peering out one of the small cottage's only windows. Next to him stood his best friend and rival.  
"They're talking again." He whispered, not taking his unusually green eyes from the scene he was witness to. "Wonder what they're saying...."  
His friend shrugged, also gazing out of the window, his thin lips curled upward in a sardonic smile, "I dunno. The real question is how can they be so dense?"  
"Hmmm?" The small, dark haired child continued to stare, waiting for his companion to continue.  
"My father told me last time he was here, that only real fools will meet privately nowadays. He told me it 'might not be good for their health.' If ya know what I mean."  
The first child was once again silent. He had a suspicion that his friend's father was referring to something entirely different, but decided not to comment on it. He was too caught up in what was happening.  
Now Matron was moving out of the woods; it seemed like her acquaintance had already left. The young child's eyes caught those of his friend. They had both seen Matron's face. Never in their lives had they seen her as sad as she looked now. Even in the darkness both boys could tell how depressed she was.  
"Shoot!" The second child hissed. "We're supposed to be asleep!" He tugged on his friend's sleeve and pulled him away from the window, back towards their cots. "You idiot!" He cried, noticing how slowly the black haired child was moving "You're going to get us in trouble!"  
"Too late," His friend muttered, pointing towards the wooden door of the cottage. In its frame a very angry Matron stood frowning down at them. If the boys had thought she looked sad just a moment ago, she now had a look on her face that was nothing of the sort.  
"Uh oh," both boys whispered.  
"Harry! Draco!" The woman yelled, her face becoming slightly flushed. It seemed as if rage was emitting from her every pore. "What are you doing out of bed?!"  
Harry, the black haired child, spoke up first before Draco had a chance, "I just couldn't sleep Matron...."  
Draco looked at Harry, "We couldn't sleep, idiot."  
But as soon as Harry had spoken those words, Matron had lost the look of anger that had been clouding her face and was now ignoring Draco completely. "Oh Harry," Matron said, gently placing a hand on his forehead to reassure herself that he wasn't sick. "Are you not feeling well or....?"  
"I just couldn't sleep," Harry reassured her. "Is Hope coming back soon?"  
"I don't know child," Matron said, wincing at her words. "Do you think you could sleep now? Or would you like to just go outside and play?" Once again she winced at her words, "Or rather play inside...."  
"I'll try to sleep for a little while longer," Harry decided. "Are you going to be in your room?"  
"Yes, if you need me don't hesitate to come right up," She said, smiling down at Harry before giving both of the two boys a stern glance, "I expect you both to sleep now."  
Both boys nodded obediently and watched Matron exit the room, untying her shawl as she went. After she was gone Draco turned to Harry, "Well I think that went well...." He said and Harry nodded in agreement, "though I'm not surprised, since you're Matron's little lapdog."  
"Let's just go to sleep," Harry said, ignoring the last of the other boy's comment.  
  
Up in her bedroom, Matron sunk down wearily on her bed, remembering the last words she had spoken to her husband.  
"I'm concerned about Harry," She had told him.  
"Oh?" Dumbledore asked, "Is something the matter?"  
"Ever since Hope left he's been distancing himself from the other children," she admitted, thinking of Draco in particular. "They were very close, those too...."  
Dumbledore sighed and adjusted his spectacles. "You know as well as I do that she had to leave. Her presence would call too much attention to Harry." Matron nodded sadly. She knew this of course, but it didn't improve the situation any.  
"I just wish there was some way to comfort him...." Matron said, despondently.  
Dumbledore could offer no words of comfort for his wife let alone Harry, "I will be coming back in a few days. Sooner if the situation worsens. Be prepared for the worst."  
Once again Matron nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Of course....But I can't get over the fact that they won't be able to remember any of us...." Without regard for her tightly wrapped shawl, she gestured around them, "...any of this."  
"Lemon drop my dear?" Dumbledore asked, completely ignoring her last comment. When she sent him a writhing look, he said tactfully, "Sometimes it is best not to worry about things that cannot be helped."  
Matron didn't respond, simply lowered her eyes to the ground in thought.  
This was the conversation that continued to work its way through Matron's mind as she went to bed later that night. Once she woke up and could not stop herself from going downstairs to whisper what she irrationally felt might be the last words that she would be able to tell the children she regarded almost as her own, "Maybe one day we'll meet again...."  
  
A sentence that didn't quite make it:  
  
"Hi there love." said Dumbledore sexily.  
  
This is the edited version of the same sentence (that also didn't quite make it):  
  
"Hi there Matron." said Dumbledore sexily.  
  
Blooper Reel:  
  
"Ah Matron, I should have known; always business first and pleasure later," the old man said with an affectionate smile. "Or with you I should say never...."  
  
"Albus!" the women shrieked and slapped him hard across the face.  
  
"But the children...." Matron said, aghast. "What will happen to Harry?"  
  
"Who the hell gives a shit?" Dumbledore asked, stroking his beard. "I'm sure he'll find a nice rock to curl under and die...."  
  
"ALBUS!" Matron said, slapping him hard across the face once again.  
  
AN: If you have played FFVIII and are wondering why this prologue seems somewhat familiar to you, then it is because we are basing the entire fanfiction on the plot from FFVIII. So to add to our disclaimer up top, we don't own FFVIII.  
  
So Matron is simply the name we have the children call this character and if you are familiar with FFVIII, then you know that Matron in the game has an actual name (Edea), so guess who Matron is in this fanfiction lol... (We thought we would add this to reassure you that she isn't an original character)  
  
BTW.... Now that you've read....  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!  
  



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